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Sceptics query China's economic and political ability to realize its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Less attention has been paid to BRI's implications for one of the defining features of China's foreign policy: low engagement in areas beyond its traditional sphere of influence. The Middle East is such a case. Addressing this issue, the article explores the mutual impact of China's low political involvement in the Middle East and BRI's realization. Distinguishing cross-border connectivity projects from other BRI-associated activities, the article examines the challenges to executing BRI-related projects in Israel. It finds that realizing connectivity projects – the essence of the BRI vision – will require China to increase its regional engagement, a shift that it has so far avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring Sino-Israeli economic relations comprehensively for the first time, this article suggests that this connection allowed the two states to overcome the defence crises that the relationship experienced in the early 2000s. After 2010, as China resolved to enhance relations with Israel, economic ties continued to fulfil a prominent role. Nevertheless, achievements have been mixed. Apparently, investments of Chinese firms in Israel and construction of infrastructure projects in Israel by Chinese corporations are the most successful activities, but they arouse mixed responses in Israel and may have political implications yet to be clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Since the early 2010s, there have been mounting calls in China to intensify its role in the Middle East. But seeing the region as highly turbulent, Beijing seems to restrain its political involvement there. So what role does China actually strive for in the Middle East? To answer this question, the article first presents China’s discourse on its future role in the region; next, it analyzes China’s involvement in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the Syrian civil war, focusing on three diplomatic initiatives it has made concerning these issues. The argument here is that China strives to be part of major processes in the Middle East and attempts to advance its values and interests there, but in a unique pattern of big-power involvement in the region, it tries to achieve this without intensive investment of political, economic, and military resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the involvement of China in the crises in Libya and Syria, the two countries that are part in the Chinese diplomatic region of Western Asia and North Africa. It states the membership of China in United Nations (UN) Security Council involving its implementation of Resolution 1970 banning the supply of weapons to the Qaddafi forces Libyan groups. It also emphasizes the willingness of China to deviate from a neutral policy in promoting regional and international interests.

The article reports that a number of conditions exist that can possibly moderate the tension in Chinese-American relations as the new U.S. administration assumes office. It notes that the evaluation of the principal factors, including the limits of U.S. power in international relations, the tension with Russia, and the global financial crisis, can help analyze the developments in Sino-American relations. It outlines possible frameworks of action for Israel as it works with China and the U.S.